The country has continued to find itself at odds as the incidences surrounding the cases of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances continue to rise, with the latest being the death of a 24-year-old activist whose body was found at a mortuary seven weeks after he went missing.
Ibrahim Hilal Mwiti, an activist who was last seen in the Nairobi Central Business District in November last year, was missing for a while before the family’s search ended in the tragic discovery.
The family disclosed that before his death, Mwiti, who was active on social media among hundreds of youth, made a living as a delivery man. After his disappearance, the family launched a probe only to find their kin approximately 45 kilometres from where he was last seen.
”We were informed that his case was a hit-and-run incident. We know nothing else about his death,” Sadhiya Iman, the mother to Mwiti, told the press.
Ibrahim Hilal Mwiti whose body was discovered at Thika Level V Hospital.
”We ask authorities to help us unravel the circumstances of my son’s death,” she added, revealing that they had in the past searched for their son almost everywhere without success.
The body of a 24-year-old activist was found on Friday, December 3, at Thika Level Five Hospital mortuary.
The family stated that the police report they obtained from the facility where the lifeless body of their son was lying detailed that he died in a hit-and-run accident, something that the family said would not be possible.
For weeks, Mwiti’s family had been tirelessly searching for him, only to discover his lifeless body at the facility, leaving them with more questions than answers regarding how their son died.
According to the family, they filed a missing person report at Kamukunji Police Station on November 15, 2024, under OB number 80A/13/11/24, hoping the police could help them unravel the mystery of the disappearance.
Mwiti was laid to rest at the Langa’ata Cemetery in Nairobi on Friday, according to Islamic traditions. This comes amid rising pressure on the government to end the forced disappearances and abductions.
This unfolded as politicians from both sides of the political divide traded blame over who was responsible for the abductions, with President William Ruto asserting that accountability lies with the National Police Service (NPS).
”The National Police Service, being an independent body, is able to conduct investigations. The law should not apply selectively to keep everybody on the right side of the law,” Ruto stated during the funeral service of Mama Anne Nanyama, the mother to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula in Bungoma County on Friday.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has recorded 61 alleged police killings and 73 cases of abductions or missing persons since June 2024. In December 2024 alone, seven abductions were reported, with six individuals still missing, bringing the total to 29 cases under investigation by KNCHR.
A photo of Peter Muteti, Benard Kavuli, Gideon Kibet and Ronny Kiplat who are among some of the abducted Kenyans.